The Norris Family

The Norris Family

Thursday, May 31, 2007

Jackson - Alopecia update

We went back to Jackson's dermatologist for a follow-up visit this morning. We have spent the last six weeks putting cortisone cream on the portion of his scalp where the hair loss occurred. The doctor confirmed that the cortisone has not been effective and that there is another spot of hair loss on the back of his head. We are now starting a new "tar" therapy which we'll apply daily. The tar cream is supposed to irritate the scalp to encourage the hair follicles to begin new growth. We have to apply the cream, let it sit for 5 minutes, then wash it off with soapy water. We will increase the time limit on the cream until we are letting it stay on his head for 30 minutes a day (should take about a week to work up to 30 minutes). It's frustrating that nothing has worked so far, but the doctor is hopeful that this will do the trick. We didn't go right to the tar cream before because of the knowledge that it will cause Jackson some discomfort. So for now the plan is to use this new cream for 6 weeks and go back on July 12 for another follow-up. We're running out of treatment options and ask that each of you please (PLEASE!!) join us in prayer for hair growth to resume on Jackson's head. I believe in the power of prayer and thank all of you in advance for joining us in this journey.

Memorial Day weekend!

Last Friday, we headed down to Dothan for the long Memorial Day weekend. It was a great trip and we had so much fun spending time with family and friends! Jackson had a run-in with a basketball about 10 minutes after we arrived in Dothan and is now sporting a bruised head and scratched eye! He and Mimi were throwing the basketball on her back porch and Jackson decided he wanted to dribble the ball. He did pretty good for a couple seconds, then rolled over the ball and into the brick floor. He fussed for about a minute, refused an ice pack and started dribbling the basketball again. What a boy!

Mimi had a surprise waiting for Jackson in her garage...a new bicycle! It's an Elmo toddler bike with training wheels...very cute. Jackson hasn't figured out how to pedal the bike yet, but loved being pushed around on the bike by Mimi (her poor back!). I'll post pictures soon. We even have video...if it appears on the blog in the next few days you'll know that I figured out how to upload it!!

On Saturday Brandon and I went to see Brandon Price and his wife as they were moving into their new house. We took lunch over and got to visit for a little while before they had to start unpacking again! While we were gone Jackson, Coleman and Cassidy had fun in Mimi's pool. The new game was for Jackson to stand on the pool steps and yell "BLAST-OFF" as he jumped into their arms. Pictures coming soon.

After church on Sunday we went to Cassidy's piano recital. She did a great job and has become quite the accomplished musician which is really fun for me to see. Music is such an important part of life and it's nice to see her embrace her talents and share them with others. We are very proud of her.

Coleman had baseball practice on Monday morning. He came back raving about a ball that he hit to the fence...way to go Coleman!!

Many of you ask Brandon and me how Ross is doing. Thank you for your care and concern. Ross is doing really well and goes back to Houston (MD Anderson) for several days at the end of June. As always, we trust God to protect Ross and pray that no signs of cancer have returned. Ross jokes about being a "short order cook" when we're in town...we always show up knowing exactly what we want to eat while visiting. Ross is a fantastic cook and we love to indulge while at their house...we always come back with a couple extra pounds on us! It's worth it though (besides...a week back at our house, eating MY cooking ensures that all the "Dothan" weight will be lost). :)

Margaret is spending this week putting together a new Bible Study (outline) to be published by Lifeway. It will be geared towards the Baby-boomer generation and will deal with some of the struggles/life challenges that their generation will (or already does) face. It's due tomorrow and probably already complete, but please say a prayer for her as she goes through this process.

This was my last trip to Dothan before the twins arrive. It was a nice/relaxing visit and we hope to see our Dothan family as they visit us in Atlanta this summer/fall. We've already got Mimi penciled in for a week at the end of June and can't wait!!

By the way, when we got home on Monday evening Jackson and Brandon went outside to play in the backyard. Jackson was running, tripped over his own feet and went face-first into the ground. He had dirt all over the side of his face when he came in to get cleaned up for bed...the area around his eye was red and tender, but didn't look that bad. Well, on Tuesday morning when he got up we were greeted by a puffy eye and some mean looking scratches. Now BOTH eyes are scratched up!! Boys will be boys :)

I love being a mommy to an active, fun, loving and precious son!

Wednesday, May 23, 2007

If she can do it, so can I!!

N.J. Woman, 60, Gives Birth to Twin Boys
TRENTON, N.J. — A 60-year-old woman became a mother, twice over, when she delivered a pair of boys Tuesday.
Frieda Birnbaum gave birth to "Baby A" at 12:44 p.m. and "Baby B" a minute later by Caesarean section at Hackensack University Medical Center, hospital spokeswoman Nancy Radwin said. The twins each weighed 4 pounds, 11 ounces, she said.
"The mom is in recovery, and she and the babies are doing really well," Radwin said, declining a request to speak with the mother.
Hospital officials believe Birnbaum may be the oldest woman to give birth to twins in the United States, Radwin said.
Birnbaum, a psychologist from Saddle River, underwent in-vitro fertilization last year in Cape Town, South Africa, at a center that specializes in older women. She and her husband, Ken, a New York attorney, have been married for 38 years and have three other children — sons ages 6 and 33 and a daughter, 29.
Birnbaum told Fox News she wanted her younger son to have siblings closer to his age and wanted to remove some of the stigma attached to older women giving birth.
Coincidentally, Tuesday was the birthday of twins born one year ago to a 59-year-old woman — also to a New Jersey woman. Lauren Cohen gave birth to Gregory and Giselle on May 22, 2006, at New York Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia.
Cohen said Birnbaum contacted her after seeing her name in a magazine and that the two quickly became friends.
"We talked about babies; I suggested things that would be helpful when you try to feed two babies simultaneously," Cohen said.

Thursday, May 17, 2007

Big Boy Undies!


Peppy came up last weekend to see the kids and celebrate Mothers Day with us! She always brings goodies for Jackson and Morgan. This time Jackson got new pajama's and big boy underwear with Spider Man on them! He wasn't too interested in them while in the package, but after I washed them it was a different story! He always likes to "help" me do the laundry, whether it's sorting clothes, transferring from washer to dryer or folding. This time he found his new underwear right away and had to put them on. He looked pretty cute!


After inspecting a second pair, he decided to wear them both!

Tuesday, May 15, 2007

Frolicking in the Fountains!

We went to Town Center Park last week with Brian, Jen & Morgan to let the kids play in the fountains. They had a blast! It was so much fun that we took them back on Saturday while Peppy was here.

This is one of my favorite pictures of Morgan from that day...she was having so much fun!
Jackson trying to drink from the fountain
Miss Morgan

Relay For Life of Alpharetta

Brandon stepped up to the plate for the American Cancer Society this year by bringing his company, McKesson Corporation, into the Relay For Life of Alpharetta event as a team and an event sponsor! He did a great job organizing and motivating his co-workers to participate. His goal for the team was to raise $2,000. They did a couple fundraisers...a book sale and sold tickets for "jeans week". A lot of people also did individual fundraising. Aside from being an event sponsor, McKesson is very supportive of their employees being involved in the community. For every team member that raised at least $25, the company matched with an additional $25. All in all, thanks to Brandon's leadership the team raised about $6,000 for the American Cancer Society. Nice work, Brandon!! I'm VERY proud of you!!

Thursday, May 3, 2007

New Hair Growth?!?!

I was looking at Jackson's head last night and think there may be some new hair growth starting! For those that don't know, Jackson was officially diagnosed with Alopecia on April 23. He has a half-dollar size spot on the top of his head that went totally bald about 2 months ago. We are using a cortisone cream on it right now and have been praying to see new hair growth. He has several baby hairs in the bald spot that weren't there last week, so hopefully that means the treatments are working. We go back for a follow-up with the dermatologist on May 31 at which time we'll reevaluate the area and possibly switch treatments if there's not enough of a change. Please pray with us that the new hairs continue to grow and that other sprout soon!

Wednesday, May 2, 2007

Frustration!!

My Tahoe was broken into in the office parking lot yesterday afternoon. A hole was drilled into my driver side door right below the door handle, then they were able to pop the lock open and get in. The only thing that was taken out of my car was a spare set of keys (vehicle & house)...cops said that the people probably were planning to come back later to get the truck (obviously, I won't be driving it for a while). My car was locked with the alarm on and parked on the side of the building (I usually park in the front). I spoke to building management this morning and he said there was another car broken into yesterday. They think they know who did it and the police are working on the case. Needless to say, I'll be parking in the front of the building from now on.

It's really frustrating because Brandon and I are trying to get everything lined up for the twins arrival. We are trying to sell his car and last week it was towed from the spot where we've been parking it...we had to pay to get it out. Now, we have to pay to have the Tahoe fixed and re-keyed as well as having the house locks re-keyed. UGH!! Seems like we can't win!!

Twin poem

Two hungry mouths, two runny noses;
This little piggy on twenty toeses;
Four sticky hands, that's twenty fingers.
On chairs and walls, banana lingers.

Before our walks, I scrub two faces,
Snap-zip-button and tie four laces.
After their bath, I trim forty nails
And two fold are their angry wails.

There are two carseats to buckle,
Sometimes two bruises to kiss,
And yet when I watch them playing
What I feel is doubled bliss.

I could add up all the laundry
And divide lap space and time
And subtract the sleep
I've missed And multiply the grime.

But however I compute it
Through the outs and through the ins;
The sum total of my number play Is this:
I truely love my twins.

-Author unknown